Study Date
by Otaku-Okami
Summary: Canon. Manga. One-shot. Spoilers. Takes place around Chapter 19. Chiaki is failing history class and refuses to seek help. Maron is struggling to understand her feelings towards Noin after his attack. What happens when they're set up on a study date?


**Study Date**

Autumn leaves rustled in the wind and fell to the ground. What could have been a peaceful ending for the leaves left on the ground turned to be a painful way to go out. Students stampeded over the leaves, creating an explosively loud series of crunches to anyone or anything with sensitive hearing.

One such being affected by sensitive hearing was Access Time. The Dark Angel sat high in an empty branch. He crossed his arms, jet black wings flapping impatiently.

_How does Kami-sama watch over every person in the world? I can barely keep track of one… Stupid Sinbad._

His catlike eyes caught sight of his partner. Chiaki slouched on a bench, engrossed in a sheet of paper.

Access poked Chiaki in the arm. "Sinbad, what's wrong?"

Chiaki shooed his black-feathered friend away. "Nothing, Access."

Access ignored Chiaki as he perched on his shoulder, smirking devilishly. "Did Maron turn you down again?"

Chiaki swatted Access with the paper.

"Heeey…" the angel whined.

Access buzzed back over to Chiaki's shoulder. He glossed over the sheet of paper—it was a test. "You have a lotta red marks there… You definitely failed this one. And I thought you were smart."

"Access, I'm failing history." Chiaki shuffled through papers in his backpack and handed his partner three other tests. Each one had several red ink slashes. "European history isn't a difficult subject… I don't get why I bomb every test. The teacher's schedule conflicts with mine, so I can't ask 'Shikaido-sensei' for any assistance." He spat out the name as if it was poisoned. "Not that I would. Not after what that… that bastard tried to do to Maron."

Access gave an apologetic nod. Noin's appearance complicated quite a few things. For one, Chiaki's relationship with Maron had changed. Access noticed Chiaki distancing himself from her: he didn't talk to her unless she prompted the conversation. And those conversations were brief and meaningless. Access knew it killed Chiaki to avoid Maron.

Secondly, it hurt Access and Fin's already damaged relationship. Access couldn't believe Fin sat by and watched Noin try to rape Maron. Even though it would risk blowing her cover, Fin could have stopped it. Even as an agent of Satan, he thought she'd have a little more tact—maybe even more of a heart—than this. The Fin he knew would have done whatever she could to prevent such an event.

"Chiaki, it's been two weeks since… that incident. She hates being alone. Maybe you should go and ask her for help."

Chiaki swatted Access again. "I can't."

Access groaned. "How are we gonna fulfill our mission if you're avoiding the girl we've been sent to protect?"

* * *

Maron took a deep breath. _I can do this. I can do this._ She shakily unlocked her mailbox, and peeped inside. Her face brightened. "A letter!" She didn't bother to read the return address; she tore it open and poured out the contents. The letter's message had been cut-and-pasted with newspaper and magazine clippings.

_Dear Maron,_

_Meet me at that cafe you and Miyako are always raving about at six o'clock today. Could you bring your history textbook and the last four tests from that class?_

_-Chiaki_

Maron smiled as hot tears of relief trailed down her face. _Thank goodness. It might not be from mom or dad, but I'm glad he's willing to meet up._

She entered her apartment and gathered the items Chiaki had requested. She transferred them into a slightly larger purse. "Fin, I'm going to a cafe. Want me to bring you anything back? Fin?"

"I'm here, I'm here." The little angel frowned. "Why can't I come?"

"I never said you couldn't, but… if I look like I'm talking to myself, that's a bit suspicious, don't you think?"

Fin narrowed her green eyes at Maron. "You're a terrible liar. Why can't I go with you?"

Maron bit her lip. "Fin, I'll be back later. Promise."

"Okay, but be back in time for your mission tonight!"

Maron slipped her purse over her shoulder. "Yeah, of course!" She exited the apartment, unaware of a sniffling Fin.

"Fin, don't you start this now," the angel whispered. "You know you can't afford to be attached to Maron."

* * *

Maron arrived at the café at exactly six o'clock. She had a habit of running late, but it had been a week or two since she and Chiaki had last spoken—she didn't want to miss a minute. She scanned the room, but there was no sign of him. _Guess he's running late this time._

Maron ordered a latte. She was impressed with the employee behind the counter—he actually wrote her name correctly on the cup. The last time she came here, the worker must have been studying English. Instead of writing her name in clean and familiar hiragana, the worker (almost) wrote her name in a shaky and foreign font: "MORON."

Maron found a set of chairs and a table. She dumped the contents of her purse on the tabletop. _Let the waiting game begin…_

"Sinbad, the demon is in here!" Access gestured wildly to the quaint café. It was quiet.

Chiaki cast Access a dubious look. "My cross isn't going off… Are you sure?"

"I told you, this demon isn't like the others. You need to go in."

A bell chimed when Chiaki opened the door, alerting customers to his presence. Maron rose out of her seat and waved. "Over here! I saved you a spot."

He reluctantly made his way to Maron. "Thanks." He furrowed his brow, trying to make sense of the situation. "What are you doing here?"

"Didn't you leave me a message in the mail?"

Chiaki shook his head. "No, Access said there was some odd activity I should look into here."

"That's… strange." She cleared her throat. "Well, the note was cut and pasted… But I figured you slipped up and added your name. It said to meet you here at six with my history textbooks and tests…"

"Access told me that there was some demon around here who only shows off his painting at six. Access…"

Maron laughed. It wasn't her forced laugh she used to hide her feelings. It was one that was spontaneous and cheerful. "Access set us up? Wonder why that is. Whatever happened to the whole rivalry thing?"

Chiaki felt his cheeks burn a little. _Her real laugh is a rare sound. It's a beautiful one, too. _"Honestly, I have no idea. I can't believe this." He saw the history textbook on the table. "But I don't think you'd believe this, either." Chiaki took the seat across from hers. "I'm failing European History with Shikaido-sensei."

Maron averted Chiaki's gaze, ashamed. "I…"

"Sorry. I didn't mean to bring him up." Chiaki's voice was low and gentle, tinged with an edge of concern. "It's not your fault, you know."

Maron's sight started to blur. "He didn't… he didn't…" She trembled, trying to prevent tears from erupting.

"I know. I know didn't go through with it."

Maron let out a sigh of relief. _Good. I was scared that was why he might have been avoiding me. _"I was so stupid… All he did was give me a letter from Dad and I bought his whole act."

"You're not stupid. He manipulated you."

"Then why don't I hate him for everything he did? He **killed** Zen. He tried to rape me." She left the part out about Noin trying to force Chiaki away. "I hate myself. I couldn't do anything. Chiaki, it **is** my fault." Maron choked down a sob as tears started to trickle.

Chiaki reached across the table and gently brushed her tears away. "You remember what you asked me on that Ferris wheel? About people falling in love easily? Maron, they don't fall in love so easily, but they don't hate each other so easily. It's not your fault. Stop trying to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. You have people who are willing to share that load. I will hate that bastard for you."

She managed a soft "thank you." Maron wiped her face with a napkin, cleaning up any remaining tears. "Do I look okay?"

"You look beautiful." _Like you always do._

"Okay." Maron blushed and forced a smile. "So, where were we? Failing history?"

"Y-yeah. Would you mind helping me study?"

"Yes. But we're here to study—nothing more." Maron's tone shifted from too cheerful to serious.

Chiaki rested his hand over his heart in a dramatic manner. "You wound me, milady."

"I will if you misbehave. Now hand over those tests."

Maron spent no more than 5 minutes until she discovered something. "Chiaki… You haven't failed. Look at my answer to this question. It's C."

"I also chose C…"

"Right. According to the textbook, that's the right answer. Chiaki… Shikaido-sensei has been failing you on purpose. We're going to talk to him." Maron stood up, pooling together her schools supplies. "We're heading out."

Chiaki planted his feet and crossed his arms. "No way in hell is that happening. Don't you think I've tried to go in for help? He's always busy when I need help. Besides, I will not talk to him. Not after what he tried to do to you…" he trailed off.

"That's not the point. You can't afford to fail any classes if you're going to be a doctor."

"T-that's not true. I don't want anything to do with medicine or my dad." Chiaki hoped he sounded somewhat convincing—he didn't even buy his own lie.

"Chiaki, you're a liar. Coward!" Maron shouted. She didn't care about the hypocrisy in the insult. She could tell it stung since he didn't even bother to walk home with her.

"I can make it home alone, thank you very much. She marched towards her apartment, huffing angrily. "Stupid Chiaki."

A slightly accented voice caught her attention. "Boyfriend causing you issues?"

Maron stopped in her tracks. _Noin._ "He's not my boyfriend. And you have no right to ask me about my relationships." She forced herself to keep walking. She heard his light footsteps become louder. _He's getting closer._

"I have every right, Jeanne."

"I'm **not** her. I'm Maron now." She whirled around.

"Very well." Noin tied his hair back. "I'm Hijiri. Is that better?"

"No. It's not better," Maron hissed. "I know you're failing Chiaki. I have proof. If you don't make things right… I can—and will—get you fired. I might not have any evidence to prove that you killed Zen or tried to rape me, but I have evidence that can hurt you and any chance of a future."

Noin—he was no longer Hijiri to her, even when disguised—sneered. "I need no future—only you." He grabbed her arm and carefully pulled Maron into an embrace. Maron tried to escape, but Noin only pulled her in more.

"Let go of her, **Noin**!" A high-pitched voice shrieked. Fin yanked his ponytail, causing Noin to release Maron as he tried to grab the angel.

Maron ran home. She didn't look back. Fin chased after her in hot pursuit. Fin made it to her apartment a few minutes behind her friend. "Are you okay, Maron? Maron?"

Maron sat and pulled her knees close to her face. She knew she should say something to Fin, but she couldn't find the words. Instead, she silently cried herself to sleep.

* * *

"Miyako, have you seen Maron today?" Chiaki asked. It was strange to see Miyako without Maron. Even though they had the strangest friendship he'd seen, the two girls were almost always together.

"No. She wasn't feeling well." Miyako eyed Chiaki suspiciously. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason. Anyways, I'm going to class. I'll see you later, okay?"

Chiaki forced himself to enter his history class. He mumbled a greeting to "Shikaido-sensei." Noin returned the greeting, which was surprisingly audible. _Huh. That was a first._

"We're going to start with a pop quiz today." The class groaned in unison.

"Don't worry—it's very easy. It's over the reading we did yesterday." He handed out the quizzes. Chiaki was the second one done; Minazuki, who sat next to Chiaki, was always the first to finish. Once time was up, it was time for the lecture.

"Today, we're going to discuss King Henry VIII." Noin usually began his lectures with a story of some sort. Students often commented that he told these anecdotes like he'd been there. _It's likely he was._ Instead, he ranted about Henry VIII founding a new church and why religions were terrible institutions that should rot away.

"Nagoya-kun… Does it seem like Shikaido-sensei is a little… off today?" Minazuki whispered.

"Nah, he's always like this."

Chiaki tucked away his textbook into his backpage. "Nagoya-kun, here's your last pop quiz."

Chiaki snatched the sheet out of Noin's hand. "I don't think this is mine. You usually can't find my pop quiz. The few I **do** have are decorated in your signature red. This one's clean."

Noin grinned. His was not a generous smile—it was strained and almost looked painful. "You should thank Kusakabe-san. Now get out of my classroom before I change my mind."

Chiaki shuddered. He knew better than to change the mind of a demon knight.

* * *

Fin peered through the door's peephole. "The mailman's here! And… He's dropping off a few envelopes!" Fin squealed. "Isn't that exciting, Maron?"

Silence replied.

"Well, I'll just throw them away, then." Fin hummed a cheerful tune as she fluttered towards the apartment door.

"Fin, don't you dare touch my letters!" Maron bolted out of her bedroom and dashed past Fin. She made it to the mailbox.

She sauntered into the room, flipping through her small bundle of mail. Maron opened each envelope with precision. _Practice makes perfect._ "Junk mail." She crumpled it up and threw it into the trashcan. She repeated this process a few more times. She paused at the last letter.

Maron read it quickly, and tossed it.

Fin cocked her head like a puppy. "Well? What did you get?"

"Nothing important. Just junk mail."

_Maron,_

_You're right. I am a coward. But you're also wrong. You're courageous. You might not feel brave yet, but confronting Noin on your own was brave. I couldn't do that._

_I'm no longer failing his class. I have an A because you spoke to him._

_Minazuki gave me some tickets to an amusement park. Let's go this Sunday. Also, can you keep it a secret from Fin? Access won't be there, either._

_-Chiaki_


End file.
